Corporate Slave Chapter 1

A big thanks goes out to my friend, who is the self-titled, Unknown the III, Software Assistant on a Higher Level than Google Translate. Without him, this project wouldn’t have been possible. But, with little further ado, Chapter 1 of Corporate Slave!

「――Tanaka-san」

……

When I raise my head, I can see Suzuki-san from the admin dept looking at me.

There’s no breakfast smell, nor is Suzuki-san my wife.

I don’t have a wife in the first place.

「Good morning.」

「… Good morning.」

「Would you like some tea?」

「… Please, thank you.」

I notice drool dripping from my mouth and wipe it off.

The time is now 8’o clock, in 20, 30 more minutes, other employees will come, I guess.

The corporation in which I work for is, KUROI Co. Ltd. It’s a company that deals with

inputting data and web design.

I lay my head on my desk again. I can hear the sound of her making tea.

Suzuki Mineko-san from Administration, she’s about 40 years old, I guess.

She’s wearing blue-rimmed glasses, with a ponytail at the back of her head.

There are wrinkles around her eyes and she has deep smile lines. Surely she’s faced various hardships. When I see the wrinkles, I want to yell 「You’ve done well!」 but if I told her the reason I shouted that then she’d surely be angry.

「Tanaka-san, were you here overnight?」

Suzuki-san asks that and places a cup of steaming tea in front of me. Thanks.

The tea spreads through my dying internal organs.

「This morning is the due date, I wouldn’t have made it in time if I didn’t stay up all night.」

「Ah…. Don’t push yourself too hard, ok? Since your body is your most important asset.」

She must have guessed the reason. She said words that are meant to comfort me.

Originally, this job was meant for three people.

So why did the work end up being done by only one person? It’s because the two fresh recruits quit. Hahaha.

This job was also meant to train recruits, and was supposed to be done by 3 people but,

Those two, whilst the job was half done gave their resignation letters to the CEO.

The corporation’s always had a high resignation rate. But both of them quitting at the same time was unexpected.

They probably discussed it behind our backs.

Overtime that lasts well into the night. Shabby salaries. Tight deadlines. You know how it’s like…

When the former president was alive it wasn’t this hard.

It was when the stupid son became president that KUROI became black.

T/N: Kuro mean Black.

Besides… It’s my own fault. I agreed to use the newbies.

I’m in charge of this company’s Human Resources and whoever I talk to will probably say 「You decided to use them, didn’t you?」 But, isn’t it impossible? Searching for people who can withstand the pressure of this company.

The face that was beaming during the interview became a dead person’s in only a week.

I hope they found a good workplace after changing jobs.

「Namuamidabutsu、Namuamidabutsu……」

T/N: A traditional Buddhist prayer.

Suzuki-san looked at me, surprised.

◇◆◇

「I’m home……」

………….

My home is a shabby and rundown one-room apartment.

There is no response. Naturally. Since I’m a bachelor after all.

Since I always have overtime, I can’t raise a pet, so I buy items from accident scenes.――I’m Self-aware enough to realize that I’m sick.

For the time being, there are no roommates or rapping sounds

T/N: The Japanese raw implies rapping sounds as sounds poltergeists make. So, unfortunately, Parappa the Rapper won’t be making an appearance.

Though I’d be fine, even if it does appear.

I heat up the bento box I bought from the convenience store, and eat it voraciously.

I notice I’m out of tea and remember Suzuki-san from Administration.

I’ve heard that it’s easy to fall in love with someone who displays kindness for you when you’re tired. To fall for Suzuki-san, I must be quite tired.

……I wonder how much a tea carrying doll costs.

T/N: Tea carrying dolls.

◇◆◇

Poupou, poupou, poppo.

Poupou, poupou, poppo.

It’s chirping from very nearby. It must be perched on top of the windowsill.

Different from a bird’s musical voice, I was woken up by a messy noise.

I suck in a lungful of autumn-like morning air and went out.

I walk down the avenue to the station.

The trees are shining with lush green leaves, but one day they’ll become dead leaves and fall to the ground.

When this avenue is filled with dead trees, I’ll be lonely for no reason.

T/N: Not quite sure what this line meant.

A place where bachelors feel bitter at. If I became a ceramist, I might be able to make some nice refined tea sets. But will I ever aim to be a ceramist??

――At the opposite side of the road, there is a small girl and her mother walking along.

They appear to be on good terms and it would seem that they’re talking about something.

The train station that I’m headed to is close to this area’s nursery. She must be sending off her daughter to the nursery.

I occasionally see the heartwarming scene of the two of them out of the corner of my eye.

It’s my secret pleasure to watch these two on my morning commute.

Something appeared before me on the sidewalk that I’m walking on.

Nya……Nyaa…….

「Ahh」

I stop walking.

A kitten appears. It meows when it sees my face. It’s so cute.

But! There’s a high chance it has fleas. I don’t want to involve myself with it.

「――It’s a cat!」

The thought of the mother and her daughter surface in my mind.

I see the girl shake off her mother’s hand and start running.

I see the mother’s surprised face.  Her mouth and eyes were agape, making an expression that I’m seeing for the first time.

The girl, with her face smiley and happy, has her sights glued to the cat.

I catch a glance of a truck from my peripheral vision.

It’s a medium-sized truck, I guess.

I have no idea how many kilometers per hour it’s going by. But, it won’t be safe if you were hit by it.

The mother’s mouth is shaped midword.

一I can see the single moment in its entirety clearly and slowly.

I didn’t say anything and only started running.

――I wanted to see this heartwarming scene again tomorrow.

I didn’t make any conscious decisions. I think I wanted to grab the girl and dodge the impact of the truck.

But, because all I do is use my PC, I who hasn’t been doing enough exercise had my feet tangled up.

Uuh! Nai wai!

T/N: Okay, it didn’t actually say that. It’s “Uso darou!?” or “Isn’t it a lie!?” which is commonly translated as “No way!?” or “You’re kidding!?”.

Even so, I push with all the strength in my arms. I fling the girl away from the truck’s path.

A smile surfaces upon my lips. I wonder why I’m laughing?

I see my right shoulder touching the front of the truck. It’s like a still image

I think I can hear a blunt noise in my ear and the world is dyed snow white.